CVE-2020-2602 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Tree Manager). Supported versions that are affected are 8.56 and 8.57. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2602 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component known as Tree Manager, affecting versions 8.56 and 8.57 of the Oracle PeopleSoft platform. This represents a critical security weakness that enables unauthenticated attackers to compromise the system through network-based HTTP connections without requiring any prior authentication credentials. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage this weakness with minimal technical sophistication, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such systems are often exposed to external networks. The attack vector specifically targets the HTTP protocol, suggesting that the vulnerability may be accessible through web browsers or HTTP-based applications that interface with the PeopleSoft system.
The technical flaw manifests within the Tree Manager component's handling of user input and session management, creating an avenue for unauthorized data manipulation and access. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as a weakness related to insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-284 for improper access control and CWE-20 for improper input validation. The attack requires human interaction from individuals other than the attacker, indicating that the exploit may involve social engineering elements or require specific user actions to trigger the vulnerability. This human interaction requirement reduces the automated attack potential but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers can still manipulate users through various social engineering techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools environment, potentially affecting additional products that integrate with or depend on the compromised system. Successful exploitation grants attackers unauthorized update, insert, or delete access to sensitive data within the PeopleSoft environment, while also providing unauthorized read access to data subsets that should remain protected. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 6.1 reflects the moderate severity of the impact, with confidentiality and integrity impacts rated as low to moderate, though the score acknowledges that the vulnerability can significantly affect additional products through cascading effects. The security implications are particularly concerning given that the vulnerability allows for data modification without authentication, potentially enabling attackers to alter critical business data or financial records that are essential for organizational operations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft systems, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic, and ensuring that all systems are updated to patched versions of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under initial access and privilege escalation techniques, specifically relating to web application attacks and credential access methods. Additional defensive measures should include user access reviews, monitoring for unusual data access patterns, and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative functions. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader IT infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and proper access management practices across all enterprise applications.